Saturday, December 23, 2006

Letters to Santa

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that “much like the happy ending of the Miracle on 34th Street, when the Post Office saved Santa Claus, the Postal Service saved Christmas” for 4-year-old twin boys this year.

Eric and Evan Gilmore sent letters to Santa, but Eric’s was accidentally returned and stamped “Return to Sender.”

The article said USPS spokesman Tim Ratliff made up for the snafu by hand-delivering Santa’s responses to the boys, as well as two postal teddy bears, coloring books, a picture of Santa with their letters and books about the Post Office’s history. The article said the brothers have received a great deal of attention from the media, including an invitation to appear on ABC’s Good Morning America.

Speaking of which...According to the USPS News Link a segment featuring New York’s “Operation Santa” program will air nationwide on ABC’s Good Morning America Weekend this Sunday, Dec. 24.

New York’s letters to Santa program — at 80 years, the nation’s oldest — began with postal employees reaching into their pockets to purchase gifts for young letter writers facing a bleak Christmas. Last year, program volunteers answered approximately 85,000 letters.

Shown above in a USPS photo is Good Morning America anchor Marysol Castro, left, getting advice from Santa on how to answer the Big Guy’s mail.